Soul Splitting
by The Amazing Chris
Summary: The sequel to Gender Bending by CyberBanjo. When one becomes two, can you ever make things whole again? Chapter 6 finally here! The end of the beginning, and the beginning of the end...
1. To Split a Soul

I am... The Amazing Chris. By the way, if you have not read Gender Bending by CyberBanjo, read it first! And now, without further ado, let the story begin.

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Kratos surveyed the chaos around him, heart pounding in his chest. He swore, trying to get up and failing miserably. The battlefield was dark, and getting ever darker as the darkness of the Shadow temple threatened to envelop him. Kratos flicked his eyes over to Raine, hoping against hope that she would be able to help him… No such luck. She was barely conscious herself, concentrating fully on keeping the still able fighters on their feet. Kratos frowned, reaching for his own inner mana. Presea and Genis were lying nearby, and he must at least be able to protect them… He struggled internally. Sitting up, he rested his aching back against the nearest wall. "Some Seraph I am…" he mumbled with a sigh. None of them should be here… If only Cruxis had got to Abyssion before the Regenerators had… Kratos scolded himself. There were the "if only's" again. The point was, he hadn't got to Abyssion fast enough, and so he was powerless to stop the demon transformation until it was too late. He had only just arrived, seeing the battle already in progress. Before he could even strike, he had been hit full on by a Meteor storm, catching him off guard. He had been trapped in a corner, the meteor draining his mana to the point where he was nearly useless. All he could do was hope in those who were still standing… 

Regal had his battle grimace firmly in place, dodging a chakram strike before jumping into the air. "Crescent moon!" he screamed out, catching Abyssion full in the face with his right foot, and flipping into the air. And now… "Eagle Di-" his voice cut out as Abyssion struck him with the flat of the Soul Eater, nearly separating his head from his shoulders. He flew almost impossibly far, slamming into the wall next to Kratos. He fell unconscious quickly, prompting Kratos to use the last of his mana to heal his fatal injuries. Kratos groaned, feeling pain rack his body as almost his entire stores of mana were depleted. Was this it? The question reverberated through his darkening mind, and he fell into the blackness.

Lloyd got onto one knee, feeling Raine heal him. He saw Regal get taken out, to join the pile of bodies. But Abyssion was weakening too… He could see it in the demon's hurried attacks, how he rocked off-balance even now… He looked over at Sheena, who was ferociously attacking the exposed side of the beast. Zelos screamed over at him "Now!" Lloyd nodded, rushing towards the beast. He stood up fully, raising his swords for a final strike… And lost his balance. He would have sworn, but the situation was too serious. He hadn't quite fully recovered from being Lydia. He was concentrating on his centre of balance being higher than it was, thus the slip. A fatal slip, he grimly realized, as the Soul Eater was coming down.

Abyssion laughed as the sword sliced apart the air. With the red-clad fool gone, there would be no challenge left for his victory. He heard the cries of despair of those who were still standing… What little soul he had as Abyssion cried out, irking him, but he ignored it, crushing the voice underneath his bloodlust. He felt the sword enter the flesh, and all traces of pity were erased as his beastly mind smiled in anticipation of the kill.

Lloyd felt the sword pierce his skull, and in that moment, he seemed completely detached. He heard his friend's cries of anguish; he saw that sword separating his body. Was this even possible? How or what was he? Even as his eyes closed, his body preparing for death, he still was, observing. It was almost as though he was watching a movie of his own doom. Slowly, he came to realize that he was not alone in observing this terrible sight of his own death. He looked over at the other inhabitant of this ethereal room. She was behind a veil, and he could not see her clearly, but he could still tell who it was… Lydia… she was surrounded by the veil, which had drawn tight around her. Lloyd could tell that the veil was tormenting her, and the sight brought tears to his eyes. Had he done this to her? How could he? But then… The veil was spreading, pulling away from Lydia, towards Lloyd, cutting the room in half. And then, at that moment, there was a tear, and the two halves ripped apart, becoming two, and there was darkness everywhere.

In the real world, the sight was equally terrifying. Raine simply fell, unable to take the stress of seeing her student die. The two left conscious, Sheena and Zelos, leapt at Lloyd, trying to prevent fate. It was too late. They each grasped an arm and pulled, but the sword was halfway down, and there was no stopping it. Or was there? It seemed to be changing colour, from a dark, evil black to a white-hot pall. It was actually burning Abyssion, his hand smoking, his mouth screaming. The sword pierced the mid-chest, slicing the heart. There was an explosion, louder than anything heard before by man. The sword shattered, unable to take this stress, the pieces raining on the floor. Abyssion saw his hand disintegrating, watching it spread in horror. If he stayed, he would follow the path of the sword… There was only one thing to do. He recited the words in an ancient language, the words that hadn't been heard on earth for centuries.

(Changed into English)

_Take me to the cursed realm,_

_In which this wound will heal,_

_For flesh becomes shadow,_

_No wound can be real._

_Here evil reigns,_

_And all cures will pale,_

_All good is erased,_

_In a soul-splitting gale._

A ring of fire erupted from the floor around Abyssion, the flames turning from a red to black, covering Abyssion inside. The two last fighters stood watching in horror. Then, the cocoon of fire wound itself into a single line, disappearing from sight.

Sheena watched the dark fire disappear from her view. She looked down, viewing Lloyd's mutilated body as she held his left arm. She dimly viewed Zelos doing a similar motion, followed by a retch as he viewed the remains. Sheena was feeling sick herself. Tears poured down, creating a small puddle underneath her as she viewed what was left of Lloyd. It was just too much for her… She threw up herself, still crying over Lloyd.

Lydia felt so relieved. Such torment, for so long. Now she could be complete again. She flowed into Zelos's arms, creating a new form, making herself whole again. Lloyd saw this, and he realized that she was creating a new half. He leaped down into the other, filling it with his essence. Then, lying side by side, the two halves completed themselves, becoming two separate people. Their first gazes were at each other. As though mirror images, they rose as one, meeting their fingers together.

"How…" Lloyd croaked out, viewing the female image of him.

Lydia looked back, meeting Lloyd's shocked gaze with one of her own. "I don't know…"

Silence reigned in the Shadow temple for a few fleeting seconds. Then…

"Lloyd?" Sheena looked up at the standing figure.

"Lydia?" Came the similar saying from Zelos.

"Yes," the two voices answered as one. "I'm here." Then the figures faltered, looking at each other. "We're here."

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Perhaps some of you will be angry that this chapter is so dark. Perhaps you love how the plot twists in a whole new direction from the last installment of this story. Perhaps you have a whole other opinion. Review and let me know! Critics are welcome, as always. 


	2. Veins, Wings, and other Things

Heh heh. Yeah. To settle a couple of issues. I do have permission from CyberBanjo to write the story. If you're not convinced, contact him about it. Thanks. Also, as another note I happened to forget...

The Amazing Chris doesn't own ToS

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Nobody said anything. But then again, was there really anything to say? Lloyd and Lydia were still staring, as though transfixed by each other. Sheena and Zelos were just staring in general. It took a long time before anything broke this silence. Too bad that the sound was someone else's jaw hitting the floor. Raine's, to be exact. She recovered quickly, though, bounding over to the still standing group, buzzing like a hummingbird.

"Oh! Oh my. Impossible!" The words poured out of her mouth quickly, becoming less and less articulate. She seemed to be on the verge of pulling out a measuring tape, or some other scientific instrument. "How could this be? YOU!" She screamed at nobody in particular.

Zelos decided it was directed at him. "Uh… Yeah?"

"What just happened here???" Raine's eyes were sparkling. Full fledged ruin mania. Her eyes were ping-ponging between Lloyd and Lydia, growing brighter all the time.

Zelos seemed about to say something, but Sheena butted in. "Um… Professor… Can we ogle our new guest later, and get these people conscious?" She gestured to the bodies draped in various positions around the room.

Raine nodded, not taking her eyes off Lloyd nor Lydia. "Hmm… Yes." She wove her staff absently, causing a Holy Lance to fall from the ceiling. Lloyd got clocked in the head, effectively blinding him, while Raine blustered over her mistake. "Sorry, sorry, wasn't paying attention. Here!" She raised her staff in a more final manner. A few eyelids flickered absently. "They'll be up soon." Raine finished, looking pleased. "Now…" she turned back to Lloyd and Lydia. Neither of them had spoken during this whole escapade, and was still staring at each other. "What happened?" Raine's eye fever had returned, and a vein started pulsing when she realized she wasn't getting any answers. Well, any coherent ones. There was some mumbling, but that was it.

"Does it matter?" Lloyd said suddenly. "We're losing sight of the point here!"

"I think I'm just losing my sight in general." Genis had awakened. He clustered around the two recently separated figures, staring in awe.

"I'm feeling a little woozy myself." Presea was up and her jaw was joining the rest of the group's on the floor. It wasn't even a clean floor. Disgusting. Hygiene aside, Lloyd and Lydia were feeling a little pressured as the bodies closed in.

Raine got a commandoish look in her eye. "TWO STEPS BACK!" She yelled out, causing everyone to scramble over each other's legs as they fumbled backwards. "Better." She purred, eyes glowing dangerously.

"Wow Lloyd, the Goddess must really not like you," piped another newly awakened voice.

Lloyd and Lydia groaned as one. This made sense really, considering they were one. Once. Even though they weren't now. And if you think this is confusing for you, imagine the group's feelings. "Look Colette," Lydia said patiently. "The goddess does not exist. Say it with me now. Does. Not. Exist."

Colette probably would have bantered on about still believing in a goddess, but Kratos cut off the argument. "Martel is not a goddess. I think. I really don't seem to know anything these days." He sighed loudly, gesturing to Lloyd and Lydia. "Case in point."

Raine's vein (he he) was pulsing like mad. "Are we all conscious?"

Regal made an affirmative sort of sound, rubbing his head and wincing as he got to his feet.

Raine hardly seemed to notice. "Good. Then perhaps we can draw some conclusions about this fascinating condition."

"We could," Presea interjected. "But I doubt our good friends in the Shadow Temple would allow us to take that time." She was right. A couple monsters were poking around, looking mildly menacing. Still, mildly menacing and alive behind your backs is not the ideal place for a monster to be. Better dead.

The group moved in on the slightly less menacing monsters. Lloyd and Lydia, however, hung back a bit, looking confused. They each held a Material Blade, Lloyd with fire; Lydia with ice, but neither of them seemed to know what to do with it. And so they let the weapons hang limply while the rest of the group finished off the monsters. The group turned back afterwards, surprised that Lloyd didn't jump into the fray. Then Kratos took charge. "Can we solve these problems in the light?" No objections there. The group made their way to the door.

The party walked in the light, enjoying the day, despite… well… you know. Speaking of whom, Lloyd and Lydia each managed to stop looking at each other, and were laughing and talking like there was no difference. Perhaps it was the euphoria of not being dead, but they didn't notice the staring that was going on. From everyone. At them. There was no real destination, but everyone made for Meltokio regardless. But it was a long walk to the city gates, and Raine's eyelid was looking like it would explode. It was gonna be close.

Yuan sulked. Surprised? No? Didn't think so. Anyway, he wasn't sulking needlessly. There was the slight ampleness around his chest and hips that was causing the sulking. Not to mention the whistling. "Damned whistling!" he growled. Or should I say, she growled. Oh yes. Yggdrasil was remarkably vindictive these days. The Storyteller at Latheon Gorge could hold quite the grudge too. And by golly, Mana Leaf Herbs were hard to find out of season. Heck, they were hard to find in season. It was also too bad that the Renegades didn't keep any of the herb, or any records of how to make the cure. And, for those of you who are really slow, Yuan's new womanly form was causing the grumpiness. Another whistle bombarded him. "Enough. Damned. WHISTLING!!!!" He…. Oops! She screamed out. It was supposed to sound commanding, but the high pitched tone didn't do a very good job. Yuan spread his wings, standing up out of the chair. Enough was enough. He had to get back to the group. No other option really, if he wanted to get cured. Again. Yuan sighed as he took off. He looked back over his shoulder at his wings. They were really quite drab… Perhaps some pink would liven them up. Yuan's eyes opened wide. And so, mentally slapping himself, he took off into the blue sky.

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I'm pretty sure that any Yuan fangirls left have abandoned this series, but, just in case... DON'T KILL ME!!!!!

Praise, criticism, reccomendations, I want to hear them all. PM me if you're too shy to review. I really need your support to write this, so keep them coming! The more reviews, the sooner the chapters ;)


	3. Pink and Red at the Coliseum

Hey! Sorry for the delay, but I'm in the middle of the exam revision period. Also, I deleted most of it, because I didn't like some of the ways I was sending the plot. Anyway... Enjoy.

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The group walked up the main stairs of the city, Raine driving a relentless pace in the lead. Zelos choked out the start of a complaint, but was silenced quickly as he watched Lydia ascend the stairs in a (ahem) hurried fashion. Sheena looked over at him hearing the oddly stifled sound. Following his gaze, she frowned, walking over… 

An ice pack later, the group made it to Zelos's house. Sheena had really gone to town, and so Zelos was literally being dragged into the house by Raine. Sebastian was looking rather startled at Zelos's condition, but managed to compose himself to greet Lloyd, who was walking in the door. "Ah, Sir Bud! Delightful to see you."

"No, it's Llo-"

"And this must be your sister," Sebastian said, greeting Lydia with an equally wide smile. Nobody had really told him this, but the resemblance was obvious. If he only knew… The rest of the group, who had since filtered in, silently made their way into the sitting room.

Lloyd caught on. "Yeah, this is my sis," he smiled, slinging an arm around her shoulder in a brotherly kind of way. He followed the rest of the group into the sitting room.

Lydia closed the door, smiling at Lloyd. "Good idea."

Lloyd settled into a chair. "Thanks!"

If both of them weren't still experiencing the euphoria of being alive, they may have noticed that the rest of the group was staring at them with equally intense glares. Lydia had barely sat down when Raine jumped to her feet. "Excellent, excellent." She muttered, looking over at the couch that the new siblings shared. "So…" she said feverishly. "What happened?" She seemed poised to take mental notes.

"Eh…." Lloyd began, quavering under the professor's gaze. "I… don't know?"

Raine's eyelid started pulsing again.

"It was like," Lydia took over, "…like we were two parts, and the sword kind of… well, split us in half."

"I saw it like this room," Lloyd said slowly. "And there was a curtain… A black curtain… It divided the room in half…."

Lydia nodded. "And we both went into half of our body."

Raine had her "ruin mania" look back on. "I see, I see. One moment…" she rummaged in her bag for something. She pulled it out triumphantly. "Here it is!" It was one of the specially modified magic lenses. She peered through it at the two sitting opposite. It showed violet pollen circulating throughout both of their veins, forming parts of bones, organs, and muscles. "Amazing!" Raine cried out. "I must analyze this…" she took the lens from her eye. She then ran into her appointed room and slammed the door shut.

It was quiet for a minute, the silence only punctuated by Lydia's struggle to keep Lloyd's outfit on, much to Zelos's delight. Sheena was looking at Zelos dangerously, but took pity on his bruised-up face and got up, taking Lydia by the arm. "C'mon, she said, dragging Lydia out of Zelos's sightline. "We need to get you some new clothes."

Colette jumped to her feet. "I'm coming!"

Lloyd and Lydia sighed as one. "Fine, but no pink," Lydia said, smiling.

The happy shopping party made their way out the front door, leaving a downtrodden Zelos behind. "Well," he said, jumping to his feet, "I'm not staying here!" He ran out the door.

"SMACK!" the sound echoed throughout the house. Regal shook his head. "I'll get him…" He moved out of the room.

Presea and Genis said nothing. Hardly surprising, considering the fact they were kissing as though oxygen wasn't necessary for life. Lloyd shuffled out of the room, feeling slightly… ok, well, extremely embarrassed. Moving into the hall once more, he caught a glimpse of Regal dragging Zelos into the adjoining room. He walked in the door, watching Regal rummage around for something. "Healer," he cried, causing Zelos's bruises to fade rapidly.

Zelos sat up, groaning. "I only wanted to help them shop…" Lloyd shuddered imagining the "help" Zelos could provide. "Well," Zelos continued, "What do you guys want to do?" he smiled up at his friends.

Regal pulled out a towel. "I will be training if you require me." He left abruptly.

Zelos shook his head. "That guy can't seem to think of anything else, eh Lloyd?" He looked up, seeing only a closed door. "Lloyd?" But Zelos was alone again. "Aww man," he whined.

Lloyd was enjoying the day... Far away from Zelos. Exploring... Never got old for him somehow. After several minutes of wandering, he happened to glance into a shop window. He surveyed himself, a smile growing on his lips. It just felt so great... He felt like he was whole again for the first time in a long time. Which was funny... Considering he was in two parts. He was distracted, however, by the sight of the Coliseum in the distance. Lloyd's grin faded. He would have liked to enter... But he still only had one sword. But, even as this slightly saddening thought hit him, he noticed that both his holsters had weapons in them. "What the heck?" he wondered out loud. He drew one sword out. Nothing new there... The Flamberge was as fiery as ever. He drew the other, finding an equally red sword. He gasped, realizing that it was Dirk's gift. But... The colour had changed... A smile crawled onto his face once more. May as well test them out... He took off running towards the Coliseum.

Lloyd ran into the main entrance, and then up to the counter. "Hey, I'd like to enter a singles tournament," he said, gasping as he threw some gald onto the table.

"Fighting style?"

"Twin swords."

"Excellent," the desk guard said in a cool manner. "I'll just enter you here… Alright. Check the tournament board to see your next match."

Lloyd walked towards the board, looking at the upcoming matches.

Sandy (bow & arrow) vs. Blunt (spearman)

Lloyd chuckled. Good name for a spearman.

Tasden (whip) vs. Randell (ax man)

Genis (magic) vs. Presea (ax woman)

Lloyd raised his eyes in surprise. Evidently they had finally left the couch.

Honorous (Broadsword) vs. ???

As Lloyd's eyes watched the board, he saw the question marks change to "Lloyd, Twin Swordsman" Walking into the prep room for fighters, Lloyd glanced around for Genis or Presea. No sign. He looked over at Sandy and Blunt, who were preparing to enter. Both of them looked equally nervous. The crowd roared as the introduction of the two began. Lloyd smiled as he walked into a dressing room to prepare. Little did he know he was being watched…

Tasden's eyes widened. It was the human! Hatred consumed him as he walked to the door Lloyd had disappeared behind. He had hurt master Abyssion… He must pay! He rattled the doorknob. Locked… Damn. Well, he would just have to-

"What are you doing?" a small, cold voice asked.

Tasden whirled around, eyes snarling at being discovered. He took in the features of his discoverer. Girl, short, pink hair in pigtails. He smirked, began a hostile rebuke. But, it died in his throat as she pulled out an axe from a holster on her back. A very large, very sharp axe. He slunk off, muttering curses under his breath. Next time…

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Please, review. Send me criticism, praise, or anything else you feel like sending me. 


	4. Confrontations and Conundrums

Ta-dah! As a beginning-of-summer present, I decided to make this chapter longer than planned. Enjoy.

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Chapter 4: Confrontations 

Kratos had been forgotten. This suited him just fine. He smirked as he slunk away, watching as the group ascended the stairs. With all the commotion, nobody would notice if he wasn't there. Kratos ducked into an alleyway, back behind an inn, and came to a door. Anyone else approaching this door would probably not give it a second glance. It was iron, had no handle or keyhole, and most likely just led to the sewers, anyway. Thus, anyone passing near just passed on by. Well, most everyone. Kratos raised a hand, floating where a handle would be. A recitation, the spell words too quick for a mortal ear. The door slid open, and he walked down the stairs, into the blackness of the passage beyond.

Kratos walked down a long hallway, decked out with a spiffy white paint scheme. Fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow, flashing off Kratos's sword. He walked to the very end, approaching another door, this time with a handle. His identity had already been verified 14 times, and the DNA and fingerprint sample on the door made a total of 15, unlocking the door and allowing access to Cruxis' major base. The room beyond was clearly meant for long-term habitation, as it sported a bed, fully stocked kitchen, and all the other necessities for life. One or two things, however, seemed slightly amiss. In the far corner was a large screen, which seemed to be a communicator of some sort. As well, a tiny elevator, seemingly for one was on the far wall. Kratos ignored everything but the communicator, which he promptly turned on, seemingly waiting for something. A few moments later, his wait was over. Yggdrasil's face dominated the screen, seemingly sublime, although an expert at reading body language could see the barely concealed fury.

Kratos happened to be one of those experts. He cleared his throat, and then began. "Good afternoon."

"Is it really?" The reply was harsh, like a dog's bark.

Kratos let the line go silent for a moment, and then began again. "I assume you wish my report?"

"No, I want to talk about the weather. Of course I want the damn report!"

Kratos almost winced. Almost. Yggdrasil had been remarkably irritable as of late. Strangely, whenever he inquired as to what was the matter, Yggdrasil either yelled at him or brushed him off. Kratos wasn't sure, but he thought that Yuan may have something to do with it, considering Kratos hadn't been able to contact him at all. However, Kratos was blasted out of his musings by a sharp voice.

"Kratos?" The voice was a threat, sharp and challenging.

"Sorry, my lord." Kratos mumbled. "Here is my report. Upon receiving the information about Abyssion, I made all haste to the Shadow Temple. However, once I arrived, Abyssion had transformed and the battle was already in progress." He paused, hearing a muttered curse from Yggdrasil. "I was incapacitated almost completely by a sudden spell. I passed out, and from what I gathered afterwards… Uh…"

Yggdrasil raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Kratos?"

Kratos really did wince this time. "Lloyd was split in two."

"So he is dead?"

"Not exactly…"

"This is pretty!" Colette piped up.

Lydia groaned. "What did I say about pink?"

Colette regarded the lacy undergarment. "Oh yeah…"

Lydia rolled her eyes, seeking out Sheena. Ah, there she was. Lydia strolled over with a groan.

Sheena's eyebrows shot up, giggling slightly. "She didn't."

"Yep," Lydia sighed. "I swear, she's addicted to pink or something."

They made their way to the cashier, chatting and breaking into giggles periodically. Colette was slightly put out, considering there was no pink among the purchases. They walked out of the store, deciding where to go next.

"Should we go to the tailor?" Sheena wondered aloud.

Lydia frowned. "Well, don't you want to shop arou…?" She stopped abruptly at the sight of Colette's face, which was staring over at a particularly lacy pink dress. "Yeah, that seems like a good idea. C'mon, Colette, let's go." They made their way to the tailor's, chatting animatedly.

"So, what do you think of being Lydia again?" Sheena asked, suddenly serious.

"Well, it's weird, because I still remember being Lloyd, and all these memories… It's hard to sort out. But, I like being Lydia," She paused, hearing a wolf whistle. "Even with a few drawbacks."

Sheena peered over Lydia's shoulder at the offender. "I dunno, he sure doesn't look like a drawback to me." The three girls broke into giggles again.

"Cute laugh," came an oily voice from up ahead. The group whirled around. The man curled up to Lydia. "Bet you look even cuter."

In one fluid movement, Lydia elbowed an uppercut, causing him to nearly bite his tongue in half. "Hit the road, loser." She snarled at him.

"Ow… Ow… ok, I'm sorry!" He hobbled off, moaning softly.

"Well, the new Lydia's certainly giving my slapping arm a rest." Sheena said, laughing again.

"I suppose so," Lydia said, smiling back. "Let's go find that tailor!"

Yggdrasil blinked. "The damned gender bending is none of my business. All I care about is Abyssion, and stopping him! You say he fled to Niflheim?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Damn it! Yggdrasil muttered. "This is Zelos's fault. If he had contacted us, even hinted at something…" He took several deep breaths. "This can't happen again. You must convince them to take Abyssion out. He is far too dangerous; a large angelic force would be nearly useless. You know about Niflheim."

Kratos nodded. He knew full well. The dark powers all but negated angelic strength.

"Then go!"

Kratos went, closing the link.

Zelos moped around his house, glancing in mirrors and humming tunes to himself. Bored, bored, bored, bored, and more bored. He contemplated calling up one of his "sweet hunnies", but for some reason, this idea didn't appeal to him as much as usual. It was, as usual, due to Lydia. He couldn't stop himself; he wanted to be with her so badly… But it could never happen. He was part of Cruxis, it could never be. He thought that her changing back was a solution, but now she was back and the feelings he had shelved were coming to light again. A thousand times, he cursed his feelings for getting in the way of his common sense. All of a sudden, his exosphere pulsed once. Zelos moved into his study. Who was it this time? He sat down in a chair, regarding a particularly ornate pillar like there was an elevator hidden inside it.

Which, of course, there was. Kratos stepped into the tiny elevator, and pushed a sequence of buttons. With that, the elevator rocketed upwards, slowing within seconds. He had arrived.

The pillar slid open, and Kratos stepped into the room. He nodded at Zelos.

"Zelos."

"Kratos."

"We need to talk."

Lloyd cracked his knuckles. Time to go. He entered the arena, viewing his opponent across the dusty battlefield. He looked strong, but wasn't very confident, if the nervous sweat was anything to go by. They met in the middle, shook hands. The announcer launched introductions into the crowd.

"Welcome to our final round one match! We've got an exciting match for you folks today! Over here, we have the Fearsome Warrior, Honorous!" Honorous took a bow. "And over here we have…" the announcer squinted at his card, then looked over at Lloyd, an amused smile on his face. "The Peeping Tom, Lloyd!"

"No look, it was a misundersta…"

"BEGIN!"

Lloyd jumped back, avoiding a heavy blow right off the bat. Lloyd shook his head. Honorous would wear himself out if he kept throwing blows like that. Lloyd settled in, dodging another heavy strike. Should be easy enough.

For the next few minutes, Lloyd ducked and weaved through Honorous's blows. Exertion was beginning to show on the other man's face, and Lloyd was starting to get some smaller blows through after the larger strikes. But he couldn't dodge forever. He had to strike before Honorous got lucky. Lloyd picked his moment well. He ducked under a particularly fierce swing, and then delivered a series of blows, slicing chunks of Honorous's armor. He finished with a huge blow to the head, knocking down Honorous. He didn't get back up.

"Victory!" Screamed the announcer.

Lloyd nodded, acknowledging the victory, then wandered back into the dressing rooms, brushing by a Tasden who was heading for the ring. Tasden whirled, eyes burning embers of hate. He made to go after Lloyd, but…

"Tasden!" The gate guard snapped out. "You're in. Unless you're too chicken." The guard snickered.

Within seconds, Tasden's whip was around the unfortunate guard's neck. "Don't you ever call me that again." And he was gone, like a shadow banished by light.

Lloyd smiled, reveling in his victory. It had been far too easy. He got up, sliding over to the standings board. Hmm… Presea had been the winner. That meant he would fight her… He heard the roar of the crowd. Surely the other match hadn't been so fast? He heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" he said.

"Presea."

Lloyd walked over, opening the door. "What is it?"

Presea seemed almost relieved to see him. "Can I talk to you alone?"

This sentence pricked up the ears of the newly returned Tasden. She was a friend? Well, this wouldn't do. Lloyd couldn't be alerted to his plan… He breathed a sigh of relief as the guards separated them, bringing them to their assigned entry points. Tasden saw Presea shoot Lloyd a significant glance. She would tell him in the fight! Well, he would just have to do something about that. Grinning wickedly, he made his way to a balcony reserved for fighters. He watched the two fighters enter, but didn't roar with the crowd. In a harsh undertone, he muttered a spell, whip flicking in time with the syllables. Then, a ring of darkness, invisible to the mortal eye, flew down, landing above Presea's head. Tasden snickered as he watched it descend. It tightened once, twice, and then disappeared. That would be plenty. He descended the stairs, not bothering to watch the fight. He had one of his own to prepare for.

The sun blazed down on the two competitors. The announcer began shouting out a greeting. "Welcome to the Coliseum! Welcome to our last semi-final round!" Presea frowned. He seemed to be slurring his words, voice undulating. "Here we have Lloyd, the Peeping Tom," Presea tried to chuckle, but a harsh rasp came out instead. She felt dizzy… A nice sleep would feel so good right now… The announcer continued. "Versus Presea, the… the… oh my!"

She was out cold. A medic rushed out, loading her onto a stretcher. They ran back into the main building. Lloyd matched them for every step. A doctor was ready and waiting. "Hmm… Well, it looks like it's just heat stroke, but I'll need to make sure." He looked over at Lloyd. You should go; you have a fight to get ready for. Lloyd trembled with relief. At least it wasn't serious… He heard a mumble from Presea. He leaned over, trying to make out the words.

_Lloyd…LloydwarndangerLloyd…_

The voice was faint, but the meaning was clear. Something really was amiss. A guard looked over at Lloyd. "They're starting now, get going!" Lloyd nodded. There was only one way to find out. He turned, facing the entrance.

"Let's go."

At the opposite entrance, Tasden was getting a similar treatment. "You all ready to go?" A guard asked slowly.

"Yes."

"Are you sure you have a safety on that whip? Cause, I don't know what they're supposed to look like."

Tasden grinned, sliding the safety guard **off**. "Now it is. Yeah, I'm glad you asked, we don't want anyone getting hurt." Then the doors opened, and the fighters were in the ring.

The announcer smiled. "You know the competitors! You know their styles! Lloyd vs. Tasden! Gentlemen, shake hands." The figures shook. "Now, begin!"

Lloyd leaped back, barely avoiding a huge crack from the whip. He cursed. Whips were nearly impossible to dodge, he had been lucky. But… Each strike left the attacker wide open… Tasden grinned, throwing another strike. Lloyd was out of range… Or so he thought. Tasden spoke a word, the whip extended, wrapping around Lloyd's midsection. The pull back nearly cut Lloyd in two. He fell onto one knee. "Hold!" screamed the referee. He began counting. Ten would mean a knockout. 1… 2… 3… 4… Lloyd looked up. There was no way it could have hurt so badly… There were safeties on… Or were there? He stared in alarm, as blood leaked out from his shirt.

"He hasn't got a safety!" Lloyd yelled out. The crowd gasped, and Tasden snarled.

The referee moved over. "Let's see the whip, Tasden." Tasden sighed in defeat, holding out the whip's handle. The referee rolled his eyes. "The other end."

"Gladly." Tasden snapped the other end around, catching the ref on the shoulder and cutting deeply. The crowd gasped again, and guards began running from every corner.

Tasden whirled, facing Lloyd. "Now, you die," he hissed, fixing his blood red eyes into Lloyd's. He began a strike, the whip curled…

"Wind Blade!" Genis screamed from his position in the stands. The full force of the spell hit the whip, shattering it into pieces.

Tasden growled. There was no time for another attack, the knights were too close. He turned to face the Genis, and screamed out an incantation. A ring of fire erupted around him, whirling itself into a cocoon. The flames turned black, and then wound themselves into a tiny ball.

Then came an explosion. Everyone was blown onto their backs, save for one. Genis stood still, watching the point where Tasden's eyes had been. He had seen a message in them, clear as though the man had shouted it at him.

_You're next._

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Review, please. Seriously, there is nothing in the world like getting a review. I would not have the heart to go on if you all weren't reviewing for me. So, hit that button, please! 


	5. Trauma, Magic, and Fashionable Clothing

Um... Nothing to say really, except enjoy the chapter!

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Chapter 5: Trauma and Fashionable Clothing

Zelos's hand traveled to the doorknob. "Well, you can talk all you wish, I'll be out…. Somewhere." He finished lamely.

"No excuses. We, as in me and you, need to talk." Kratos was unmoved.

"Alright, what is it?" Zelos relented, flopping down on a couch.

Kratos remained standing, frowning as he began to speak. "Lord Yggdrasil has spoken with me. He is… displeased."

Zelos raised an eyebrow. "You don't say."

Kratos's frown deepened. "More accurately, he is furious, and with good reason. The blame for this incident will fall on you."

"Ok, now that's unfair!" Zelos said, sitting upright. "How was I supposed to know that Abyssion was lying?"

"You weren't." Kratos said calmly. "There is no way you could have known."

"Then why the hell am I getting blamed for this?"

"Because… Your loyalty has become questionable. Ever since the…" Kratos paused, "incident with Lloyd, you have contacted Cruxis less and less. No reports, no contact, not even the most meager fact has been sent to Cruxis. If you had perhaps told us… this tragedy could be avoided."

Zelos had a rare frown on his face. "Well…"

Kratos cut him off. "I know why." The simple sentence was dripping with menace. "You knew this would happen. You set the whole thing up, so we wouldn't notice."

Zelos paled. "Ok, now you're jumping to conclusions, Kratos. I swear, there is no way that I…."

"Oh really?" Kratos snarled. "Jumping to conclusions, am I? It was obvious to everyone your feelings for Lydia. When she… left… you couldn't take it. So you planned this…"

Zelos shook his head. "Kratos, you have it all wrong, I didn't plan this, I couldn't!"

Kratos calmed slightly. "Maybe so. Perhaps you didn't plan this. I have no evidence as of yet. However…" Kratos paused. "Whether or not this was your fault doesn't matter to me. All that matters…." Kratos's voice trembled slightly. "Is that you stay away from Lydia."

The girls wandered to where the tailor's shop was previously. Sure enough, it was still there. They walked in, a bell tinkling to announce their presence.

The tailor frowned, viewing Lydia's attire. "You just never learn, do you?"

Lydia blushed. "I'm sorry; things like this just seem to… happen."

"Well, it's a good thing I have your measurements on file. I assume they haven't changed significantly?" The tailor looked over at Lydia.

Lydia ignored the stifled giggles from the girls behind her. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

The tailor took out his tape measure. "Well, let's get on with it then."

A few moments later, Lydia's measurements were proven to be exactly the same as before.

"Well, this simplifies things." The tailor smiled. "I'll have your clothes in just a few minutes."

Lydia was shocked. "A few minutes? It took a whole day last time!"

The tailor walked back out from behind the counter, carrying what appeared to be an exact replica of Lydia's previous outfit. "Well, a lady stopped in just after you did, and she happened to like the design. Soon all her friends were here asking for it, and… well… it's now the most fashionable article of clothing in all of Meltokio!" He gestured to a sign on the wall. **Try the new "Ladies at Work" line! The most fashionable garments in all of Meltokio!**

Lydia smiled. "Go figure." She pulled out her purse, acquired mere moments ago. "How much?"

The tailor smiled. "Free for you, as you've made me the most popular tailor in the capital!" And with a smile and a wave, the group left the store.

Genis was blasted out of his shock by Presea, who rushed up the stairs. "Good to see you're feeling better."

"I would worry more about Lloyd right now. Hurry!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the nearest staircase.

Moments later, they were on the field. They dashed towards the center, only to be stopped by guards.

"Stay back!" they formed a circle around Lloyd, where the doctor was treating him.

Genis frowned. "He's my friend, please, let me through!" Desperation raced through his voice. The guards relented, allowing them to pass.

Genis and Presea bent down by Lloyd. Presea was crying softly. "I'm so sorry," she managed to say. "I knew this would happen."

Lloyd managed a cavalier grin. "Don't worry… I… I'll be okay." With that, he blacked out.

The doctor frowned. "He'll have to go to the hospital. The injuries are too severe." A stretcher was procured, and they loaded Lloyd on. He went into an ambulance, and off it went, Genis and Presea following.

Raine was feverishly looking through books, taking notes, and frowning ever deeper. She gazed into the lens once more, showing a view of a brain. A small section was encased in pollen, and it appeared to be circulating throughout Lloyd and Lydia's bodies. There was no doubt about it. They still shared the same body, but the pollen was holding the parts separate. She cursed. Perhaps the mana leaf concoction wasn't as effective as they had been led to believe. Well, there was only one way to prove it. Raine took another lens out of her research bag, aiming it at her head. She quickly spun it around and looked into it. Sure enough, a small section of her brain was stained with pollen. She frowned. So, how was it activated? She formulated two hypotheses quickly. Trauma? She thought, remembering the sword strike. "Magical stimuli?" She thought out loud. The soul eater was a powerful magical artifact. Raine groaned when she realized she'd have to test them. She took out her staff, viewing the ancient rune emblazoned on the top. Magical stimuli? She held it close to her, casting minor spells on things in the room.

A few charred items of furniture later, Raine threw out the theory. Perhaps trauma?

Soon later…

Raine was bleeding profusely, having dropped a lamp on her head. But what was really irking her was that there was no confirmation. Then, it came to her. A combination, perhaps? It was so amazingly obvious; she cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner. She looked at her staff dubiously. Well, no way around it. She bustled around the house, looking for another human. Kitchen was clear, nothing in any bedroom… She heard conversation in the study. Ah, yes, that would do. She opened the door, seeing Zelos and Kratos staring at each other. "Can I get some help with an experiment?" She asked the two of them.

The three girls crashed through the door, laughing and smiling. They plopped their bags on the floor, and went looking for the others. They popped into Zelos's study, and an alarming sight met their eyes.

"Go on, hit me!" Raine was frowning at Kratos, who was holding her staff and looking mildly disgusted at what he was being asked to do. Zelos and Regal stood by, the latter looking solemn, and the former seemingly about to burst into laughter. Colette broke the silence.

"Uh… Professor, what are you doing?"

"An experiment. Hit me, Kratos!"

Kratos frowned. "I would be more willing to do as you say if I had some kind of reason."

"Will you just do it? You'll find out soon enough!"

Lydia chuckled at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. But the laugh died on her lips as a searing pain ripped through her midsection. She fell, screaming.

Zelos reacted fastest, catching her before she hit the ground. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I'll be… fine…" Lydia croaked out, and then completely contradicted her previous statement by passing out.

The "experiment" was forgotten as everyone rushed over. Raine frowned. "I may be a healer, but it's best to get her to the hospital. I don't know how this occurred."

The party carried Lydia to the door, only to have them blown open by Genis. "You need to come to the hospital!" he burst out.

Sheena frowned. "Of course we do, but how would you know?"

Genis looked confused. "How would you? Did someone tell you about Lloyd?"

Sheena gasped. "Lloyd? What about Lloyd?"

Raine frowned. "We shall see momentarily. I feared this would happen…"

And with that, she led the worried group to the Meltokio General Hospital.

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Please review, I want em, I need em! 


	6. Pollenlings

Alright, first things first. This chapter is abhorrently short, and I apologize. It's hardly what you deserve after waiting so long. However, I have been away for three weeks, so I've been unable to write AT ALL. XP Also, this chapter was never intended to be long. I didn't want to write more, as this is a good cliffhanger and the end of the introduction. So, I'm sorry, the next will be very muchly longer.

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To say the attitude was solemn would be an understatement. The entire group was dazed at hearing Raine's news.

"So, the pollen is holding the two forms apart from each other?" Zelos said, shaking slightly."

Raine nodded. "It would appear that the Mana Leaf Herb merely acted as a suppressant for the pollen. It was not destroyed. Now, on top of all that, it seems that a combination of magical stimuli and trauma caused the pollen within the two severed halves to…. Regenerate." Raine's cool confidence was like a panacea, calming the atmosphere slightly. "I'm still researching the subject, but it would appear… The flowers are not garden variety. You see, the flowers are carnivorous. The pollen…. Isn't pollen."

The penny dropped. Hard. "So, the flowers eat their "pollen?" Sheena said slowly.

Raine nodded again. "Yes. They cooperate. The organisms that are in the flower require warm, moist areas to reproduce. The flower provides this, and in return, eats them at a slightly slower rate than they reproduce, meaning the pollenlings slowly build up."

"How do you know all this?" Genis said slowly.

Raine looked slightly embarrassed. "I took a sample from the forest! IT WAS A BRILLIANT SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY!"

Nobody voiced how silly this was, lest their heads get ripped off.

However," Raine soldiered on, "It seems that the extra pollen is used as a defense mechanism. The flower can "puff" these feather-weight beings out at a moments notice."

"A defense mechanism…" Kratos spoke for the first time. "Does this mean they are potentially harmful?"

Raine shook her head. "I don't know. I'm still not sure what the pollen feeds on. If I knew that, then I could say for sure. It appears to have no ill affects… Other than the strange effects on our DNA. My hypothesis is that the pollenlings reproduce inside each new host. It appears that when Lloyd was cut in half, the magical stimuli prompted the pollen to preserve its host."

Regal rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So that's why you wanted Kratos to hit you? To see if the trauma would make the pollen…"

"Create a new organism based on an altered state of my DNA. Correct."

"Altered DNA? How?" Genis looked almost as interested as Raine was.

"It appears," Raine said, "That the pollen carry an acid called DNAA. Deoxyribonucleic Altering Acid. It switches the normal DNA with similar copies, designed to make only one significant change. Of course, rewriting DNA usually is a major overhaul, so the body shuts itself down. I hope that is all the ill affects, but I can't be sure."

Presea bit her lip. "What about Lloyd and Lydia? Why did they both feel the same affects for the serious wound?"

"Because they're made of the same genetic material. The pollenlings feel the same as every host they inhabit. Fortunately, they only respond to major sensations."

"What kind of major sensations?" Zelos asked. Kratos glared at him.

"Major pain, nausea, shock, things like that." She illustrated the point by slapping Lloyd across the face. His face whipped to the side, turning cherry red. "See, Lydia wasn't affected. Not major enough." She healed the wound without a second glance.

Silence.

"So what are we gonna do?" Zelos blurted out.

"Well, return them to normal forms, of course." Raine said. "I need to find a way to remove the pollen from their bodies without… Leaving them as they were before."

A longer silence. Everyone knew about the severed corpse.

"I think I can find a toxin for the pollen, but Lloyd and Lydia will still be dead once the pollen leaves. So…" She paused. "There's only one thing to do. They must be reanimated."

Genis gasped. "But… That means…"

Raine nodded. "We need the Necronomicon."

The cursed book of darkness… Found only in one place.

"And to do that," Raine said, "We need to enter Niflheim."

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Next chapter will be VERY SOON! And LONG! And FULL OF ACTION! Promise.

Reviews please! Long and objective!


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